Like Yin and Yang, Hong Kong's two new faces in the back row, Semi Iafeta and Nigel Clarke, will hope to combine harmoniously as the SAR look forward to a successful start to their World Cup qualifying campaign, beginning with today's game against Sri Lanka at the Football Club.

Joe Lydon's success as England sevens coach has been rewarded with a permanent place in Sir Clive Woodward's 15-a-side setup. Lydon orchestrated England's third successive win in the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse First Boston Hong Kong Sevens on Sunday, the first northern hemisphere side to achieve this feat.

Sydney: Australia served notice they could turn this year's rugby league World Cup into a one-sided farce after pulverising nearest rivals New Zealand in a record-breaking 52-0 victory in the Anzac Test. The Kangaroos ran in nine tries to eclipse Australia's previous best victory over the Kiwis - a 44-0 win in the Second Test in Sydney in 1991.

WELL, that was a close thing. Wipe the sweat from the brow, we were saved at the last minute when it looked for a few tension-packed days that some of Hong Kong's minute band of professional rugby players might go on strike.